Method of producing color separations in art work



July 18, 1944. c. B. BALCOMB 2,353,867

METHOD OF PRODUCING COLOR SEPARATIONS IN ART WORK Filed June 15, 1942 Z SheetS-Sheet 1 I N VENTOR. (Wm: 5.5/746'0/15.

. July 18, 1944. c. B. BALCOMB METHOD OF PRODUCING COLOR SEPARATIONS IN ART WORK Filed June 15, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented July 18, 1944 "METHOD on PRODUCING Z coLo'R. SEPARA- ITIONS IN ART WORK Carl B. .BalcombfDaytomOhio, assignor of onehalf to William P. York, Aurora, Ill.

Application: June 1 5, 1942, Serial No. 447,094

I '7 Claims.

This invention relates to the method of pro- 'ducing color separations in art workybeingparticularly adaptable to the production of color plates for multicolor reproduction of the original art work or master production. The invention is particularly applicable to the'reproduction by printing of multi-colored maps, cartoons, advertising displays in newspapers, magazines and the like, as wellas scenic and other pictorial color productions.

The principal object .of'this invention is'to formulate and provide a'simple and economical method of the character above referred to, wherein complete control of the color separation sheets and print plates is in the artist, requiring no color application by others, orany' color'filling' in after the art work is completed. In other words, by means of this method, all color separation sheets and color fill-ins readyf'for the printing platesare produced by the'o riginal artist during his production of the original art work. This enables the artist to have full control of the shading'of one color into the other to produce the desired artistic effect and thereby eliminates the necessity of filling in the color separation sheets apartfrom and independently of the original production which often results in misapplication of coloring or coloring effect or shading not intended by the artist.

Thus, it is made possible for the artist" to 'control the reproduction of his work, visualize it and work it over to obtain just the desired coloring effects which will be faithfully reproduced, and eliminate the additional time and ,work necessary to produce the color separation sheets independently and apart from'the originalart work.

The full nature of the invention willbe understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 represents the original .or master sheet mounted in a registering frame after it has been sketched with black, blue, yellow, .andxi'ed colored pencils.

Fig. 2 represents a blank color separation sheet mounted in its registering frame.

Fig. 3 represents a black color separation sheet, which is a black carbon paper transfer record of all marks made by v.tl'xeQartist when using a black pencil.

Fig. 4 represents a blue coloration sheet, which is a black carbon paper transferrecorjd Oran marks made by the artist when. using a'blue pencil.

Fig. 5 represents :a yellow coloration sheet which is a black carbon paper transfer record of all marks made by the artist when using a yellow pencil.

Fig. 6 represents a red coloration sheet, which is a black carbon paper transfer record of all 'is secured withina'frame II.

hinged to a backboard I2 byanysuitab1e means, 7

marks "made by the artist when using a-- red pencil.

Whereas the method herein described is applicable to many types'of art-Workpsuchas -colored prints, cartoons, maps and the like," for purposes of illustration a *merelandscape scene is herein -shown, 'comprising four basic colors, namely, black, blue, yellow-"and red. Variations thereof maybe employed including different colors er any desired number. 'Also shading and 'shadoweffec'ts are of course, obtained through or the frame I I and board f2 may-be provided with fittings so that'they may be-accurately registered one'over the other. They are so =-arrangedthat'when the frame H is registered over the board I2,th'e'mastersheet I0 is accurately registered and held 'over the-color separation sheet I3, as shown in Fig."2., "The blank' color separation sheet l3 may be convenientlyand'removably positioned upon the board I2, for registration by the guidemember I4. A sheet of black carbon paper or similar copy "paper is placed between the master sheet and the 'color separation sheet when secured in' registrybythe frame I I and board".

With the first blank color separation-sheet I3 in place the artist thenproc'e'eds to {sketch on the master sheetlll with a dark or 'black'*colore'd crayon the outlines and 'anyotherportions of the picture which he desires to be 'bla'ck'inthe finished picture. By reason of the pressureapplied in thissketching on the master sheet, the

carbon paper transmits to the color'separation sheet I3 such lines as are thusapplied," resulting in a black and white recordof all lines drawn with black pencil ,.on' the 'ffirst color separation sheet as representedlin Figiii. 'Suc'h completed sheet I3 is thenremove'd'from board ['2 and a freshsheet I3.is secured in saidframe and placed in. registry .withand under the master sheet with black' carbonpaper between" asbefore. The artist .then proceeds 'to apply his s'econd'colorby a colored crayon which, for example, 'isihe'rein indicated as blue, with the result that certain lines are transcribed'to the sheet ISthfough the carbon, paper to represent the blue lines or shading which .the artist'jhasapplied tozhis master and shading, as shown in Fig. 5; and that shown in Fig. 6 representing the red lines and shading. After the master sheet has thus been created as desired *by theartist, he may see wherein changes or variations in the color effect may be desired and, therefore, he may replace one or more of the color separation sheets l3, as shown in Figs. 3-6, back on the board I2 and add a few lines of that particular color to his master sheet and through the carbon paper to the sheet I3. Thus he may touch up the master sheet to any extent desired bysimply replacing the color separation sheet of the color which he is going to employ, back on the board I2.

Having thus produced a series of color separation sheets, each recorded in black and white, one for each color employed, they are then ready for photoengraving and the making of the usual color printing plates. Thus, a printing plate will be made for each of the sheets 13 shown in Figs. 3 to 6 for applying their respective colors with the result that the finished composition will reproduce in color the, artists master sheet with the same overlapping of colorapplication that the artist has placed thereon, the same intensity of application so that the shades and shadows are accurately represented as a direct result of. the artists original work.

It will be obvious that. the above method may be applied to multi-color printing in respect to not only paper, but to fabrics and other basic materials and may also extend to all kinds and characters of art reproduction. Also, any character of frame or other device may be employed, such as willmaintain at all times the color separation sheets l3 in accurate registry with the master sheet ill. Any copy paper or other device for the transmission of markings from the master sheet to the color separationsheet may be employed, carbon paper or similar copy paper being referred to herein merely by way of example. Also, it should be understoodthat whereas the color is referred to herein as being applied by the usual color crayon, any device capable of applying color and exerting pressure may be employed, such as a pencil, stylus or pen. Similar and acceptable methods of transmitting the color reproduction from the color separation sheets to the surface bearing the fluid reproduction may be employed, including such well known processes as .photoengraving, zinc, copper, half'tone plates, etc., silk screens, multi-lithography and rotogravure.

Mimeograph stencils can be made by using such stencils directly under the master sheet Ill without intervening carbon paper and by the use of special carbon paper the color separation records can be made directly on paper or metal sheets used in offset lithography processes.

The invention claimed is 1. The method of producing color' separation in art work, consisting in simultaneousl with the original color application, tracing the body of each color design of a work of art to be reproduced onto an individual color separation sheet.

2. The method of producing color separation in art work, consisting in applying a series of base color designs to a master production to be reproduced in color, and'tracing said designs onto a separate sheet for each color by the application of the respective color designs to the master production, thereby providing a series of color separation sheets for use in the reproduction;

3. The method of producing color separation in art work, consisting in providing a plurality of individual color separation sheets one for each base color to be printed,- progressively placing each of said sheets underand in registry with a master sheet, inserting a tracing medium between said sheets, applying color under pressure I to the master sheet for reproduction of said color ing each additional color design on an additional and corresponding color separation sheet as said several color designs are applied to the master sheet until all coloring of the work is completed. 4. The method of producing multi-color reproduction in art work, consisting in mounting a master sheet for receiving the original color application of the Work of art in a registry frame, removably mounting a series of blank color separation sheets in a frame arranged for registry with said first-mentioned frame, said sheets being mounted therein one at a time, inserting a tracing medium over said color separation sheets as they are mounted in registry, and applying color under pressure to the master sheet, whereby the color design will be traced on the mounted color separation sheet, a different color separation sheet being mounted in place for receiving the tracing of each individual base color as it is applied.

5. The method of producing multi-color reproduction in artwork consisting in applying a series of'base color designs and a master production to be reproduced in color, tracing said designs onto a separate sheet for each color by the application of the respective color designs to the master production, thereby providing a series of color separation sheets, and producing color printing plates from each of said color separation sheets for over printing the colors corresponding to those used in effecting the tracings of the respective color separation sheets.

6. The method of producing multi-color reproduction in art Work, consisting in providing a plurality of individual color separation sheets one for each'base color to be printed, progressively placin each of said sheets under and in registry with a master sheet, providing a tracing medium intermediate said sheets, applying color under pressureto the master sheet for reproduction of said color design through the tracing medium onto the registered color separation sheet and similarly tracing each additional color design on an additional and corresponding color separation sheet as said several color designs are appliedto the master sheet until all coloring of the work is completed, and producing a color printing plate from each of said color separation sheets for over printing the colors corresponding to those used in eifecting the tracings of the respective color separation sheets.

7. The method of producing color separation in artwork, consisting in providing a plurality of individual color separation sheets, one for each base color to be printed, individually registering each of said sheets with a master sheet, and tracing thereon its respective base color design by and simultaneously'with the application of said color to the master sheet.

CARL B. BALCOMB. 

